Show HN: My iOS app to practice sight reading (10 years in the App Store)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall reception & longevity

  • Many commenters say they’ve used the app for years and call it “near perfect,” “best out there,” or exactly what they needed to get back into piano or bass clef.
  • Several express admiration that such a focused, non-gimmicky app has survived 10 years in the App Store.
  • A few people tried it during the thread and immediately bought the IAP.

Feature requests & platform coverage

  • Strong demand for:
    • Guitar (and other instruments like violin, trumpet).
    • Android version; several Android/web alternatives are suggested.
  • Developer notes a prior violin-only version had low uptake and that piano vastly outperforms other instruments in traffic.
  • Some users ask for MIDI import and using the app to learn specific pieces, not just random drills.

Practice design, musicality & rhythm

  • Multiple users feel random note sequences can sound disharmonic and unlike real music; they’d prefer patterns, chord progressions, walking bass, or score-derived material.
  • There are criticisms of incorrect or simplified rhythms in songs (missing dotted notes, inconsistent bar lengths); one person suggests removing barlines or normalizing durations if rhythm isn’t trained.
  • Several request:
    • Metronome and “hit note at the right time” mode.
    • Longer or configurable lessons and “endless” auto-progress modes.
    • Minimalist mode with fewer or no visual aids.

Input methods: mic, MIDI, and voice

  • Users like microphone input for acoustic pianos but ask how reliable it is; the developer says it’s decent but still being improved and not worth buying new hardware for.
  • App uses pitch estimation (YIN algorithm) and works best with in-tune instruments; MIDI gives the most robust experience.
  • Some want vocal sight-reading support, including starting-note cues; there’s discussion about singing versus instrumental practice.

Learning strategies & theory discussion

  • Thread explores different approaches to sight reading:
    • Interval-based reading across clefs vs. memorizing note positions.
    • Needing lots of unfamiliar material and continuously moving on to prevent “playing from memory” instead of reading.
    • Importance of harmonic/rhythmic understanding, especially for jazz and complex pieces.
  • Debate over how feasible true sight reading is for complex works; some say it’s always partial and pattern-based.

Monetization, pricing & discoverability

  • Several praise the generous free tier and lack of ads, but one argues the developer is too timid with the paywall and could reduce purchase friction.
  • Developer emphasizes a long period when the app was fully free and a desire to remain student-friendly; open to an optional “coffee subscription.”
  • App Store search is criticized as poor, especially for generic queries like “learn piano,” though the app ranks well for “sight reading.”
  • Separate tangent about Apple lacking a “timeless apps” category; suggestions include community “awesome” lists, with skepticism about long-term maintainer burnout.

Terminology and notation differences

  • Discussion about “sight reading” vs. “solfège” and “lecture à vue” in French; some users only knew do–re–mi and didn’t realize C–D–E are equally “real” note names.
  • Long subthread on fixed vs. movable solfège, why C major is the “white key” scale, origins of note naming, and the relationship between pitch standards (e.g., A=440) and naming.
  • For guitar, users debate standard notation vs. tablature; consensus is that full timing and pattern recognition favor standard notation or combined staff+tab layouts.